Qatar received 305014 visitors last month

(MENAFN- The Peninsula)

By Raynald Rivera

DOHA: Qatar has received the largest number of visitors in one month last March with a total of 305014 visitors according to Qatar Tourism Authority’s (QTA) Q1 2016 Tourism Performance Report.

The number of international visitors entering Qatar on leisure visit visas (tourist visas personal visit visas family visit visas and transit visas) has risen by 6% in the first quarter of this year in comparison to the same period last year.

Total visitor arrivals in the first quarter of 2016 (822626) dropped by 2% in comparison to the same period in 2015 due to a lower number of visitors from non-GCC Arab countries the Americas Europe and Asian countries including Oceania. However visits to Qatar by nationals of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries increased 11% while visits by nationals from Other (non-Arab) African countries increased by 7% in comparison to the same period in 2015.

Within the GCC Saudi Arabian nationals have contributed to the majority of the growth in arrivals from the region. Compared to the first quarter of 2015 arrivals of Saudi nationals have increased by 16%.

The arrivals of UAE nationals increased by 14 percent and Bahraini nationals rose by 2 percent.

Data shows that the number of visits spiked in the period between March 9 and 18 which coincided with spring holidays in Saudi Arabia.

“Qatar continues to attract a healthy number of leisure visitors signifying the growing portfolio of tourism offerings especially for visitors from the GCC who find Qatar a place where they can enjoy new experiences while benefiting from the comfort of shared language and heritage” said Hassan Al Ibrahim Chief Tourism Development Officer at QTA.

“This data offers us important insights as we step up our development and promotional efforts. It also helps us as we guide investors and work with our partners in the public sector on the expansion of Qatar’s leisure and business events offering as well as the cruise industry.”

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Qatar is the only country in the Middle East region that has maintained consistent arrivals growth for over a decade.

The country had registered a 3.7 percent growth in annual arrivals in 2015 compared to 2014 and an average of 11.5 percent growth over the past 5 years (2010-2015) making it one of the fastest growing destinations in the world.

Meanwhile occupancy rates in the tourist accommodation sector are aligning more closely with global averages with an average of 70 percent for hotels and hotel apartments recorded for the quarter. This is 14 percent lower than the average occupancy rate of Q1 2015 which reflects the growth in accommodation supply (11 percent increase in total room stock since end of March 2015) and the continued maturation of Qatar’s tourism industry.

Such drops in occupancy rates along with simultaneous (albeit smaller) drops in average room rates have led to declines in revenue per available room (RevPar) as well.

RevPar across the entire accommodation sector has declined by 20 percent between Q1 2015 to Q1 2016 with hotels dropping by 21 percent and hotel apartments by 14 percent.

However the Total Revenue achieved across the accommodation sector has held stable between Q1 2015 and Q1 2016 (at -0.3 percent) as increased revenues from food & beverage and other sales has compensated for decreases in room revenues.

The Peninsula